DNR Reorganization Affecting Shimek State Forest

 Many people have heard rumors of major changes within DNR over the holiday. What FOS has learned from several sources as of noon on 7-5 is that--yes--the Forestry Bureau has been eliminated as a separate bureau as of July 3rd by DNR Director Gipp. Personnel affected were notified by e-mail. Of course, many were on holiday at the time.

The segments of Forestry have been disbursed in various other DNR Bureaus. The individual forests have been assigned to various Parks and Preserves Bureau offices. Shimek State Forest is assigned to Southeast Iowa District Parks under Tom Basten, who was already responsible for the campgrounds, in cooperation with the Shimek Forester.

 For the time being, there are no individual Forest staffing changes, no changes in responsibilities and certainly no increases in budgets for the State Forests.

FOS are all concerned about the impact of such major changes and must hope for the best possible outcome for Shimek DNR staff and Shimek forest.  When any official documents on this are made available, FOS will post them here.